If you have a custom recovery it wont allow the OTA to install and usually when you have an unlocked bootloader, you have a custom recovery instead of the stock. Once someone creates the .zip with the update you should be able to load the update through your recovery.

I needed the phone unrooted for certain applications. I do not use a custom ROM. When I tried a few custom ROMS on my Galaxy SIII, there were always some features that did not work, such as GPS, or the camera was flaky. Haven't really seen a huge advantage with the custom ROM.

If I flash the clean Rom, will I loose everything. I have went to a lot of effort to get my phone set up and have a lot of apps. Will Titanium backup allow me to restore my current settings? I have the app installed, but have never used it.

Hey guys, I'm relatively new to the whole android thing so as much as it pains me to admit, I don't know my way around it very well.

I rooted my phone last year some time because my network lost my unlock code which I needed, but since then haven't been able to update my firmware (obviously enough). It's a Galaxy S2, but I'm running gingerbread 2.3.5 and want to upgrade. I tried to unroot my phone last night by deleting all superuser files ( ~/system/xbin/su), but had no luck. I can't update using FOTA from the phone itself, or through a PC either. I know you can get the new Jelly Bean 4.1.2 on the phone but I'm at a loss how.

I don't know what CleanROM is or how to use it. Could anyone maybe point me in the right direction please? Any help is greatly appreciated!

For unrooting, SuperSU has a "Full unroot" option that will clean up the related files. Likely Superuser does as well, but haven't used it on the Note 2, so can't verify. If you don't want to go the full unroot option - and I assume you don't, you could go with a temp unroot utility. Havent used any, but believe there are some on Play.

If your bootloader is unlocked, and you have a custom recovery like Clockwork Mod or TWRP installed, then you could download the custom ROM of your choice. If you don't want or need the TouchWiz features in 4.1.2, then you could go with a 4.2 based custom ROM. Goo Manager is a good utility to try to see what custom ROMs are available for your S2. If you want to go stay with a TouchWiz based ROM, then CleanROM has my vote. I quickly looked, but unfortunately didn't see an S2 based CleanROM. There are likely many other good TouchWiz based ROMs out there.

Thanks! I had SuperSU since I rooted the phone, and ran the full unroot option, but I still can't update my software.

Do you know if I factory reset my phone and just manually put 4.1.2 on it using odin, would it work?

I don't have any experience with the S2. If there's an Odin based stock and non-rooted 4.1.2 image available then that will essentially wipe everything and accomplish more than just a factory reset. Highly recommend that you backup anything important to you before starting out on the Odin option. Suggest posting, if you haven't already in the S2 forum. There are probably people there who have more S2 specific experience and may be aware of any potential gotchas. What I've shared with you is generally applicable to most current generation Galaxy phones like the S3 and Note 2, but since I don't have any hands on knowledge for the S2, highly recommend asking in the S2 forum.